Ergonomic Irrigation Fittings

Abstract

An irrigation fitting comprises a first fitting branch and a second fitting branch. The first fitting branch comprises a first planar region and a second planar region. The second fitting branch comprises a third planar region and a fourth planar region. The first planar region and the third planar region jointly comprise a first curved concave edge and a second curved concave edge. The second planar region and the fourth planar region jointly comprise a third curved concave edge and a fourth curved concave edge.

1 . An irrigation fitting comprising:
 a first fitting branch comprising a first planar region, a second planar region, a first recessed region, a second recessed region, a first barbed member, a first branch lateral dimension and a first branch transverse dimension, the first planar region being disposed opposite the second planar region on the first fitting branch along the first branch lateral dimension, and the first recessed region being disposed opposite the second recessed region on the first fitting branch along the first branch transverse dimension;   a second fitting branch comprising a third planar region, a fourth planar region, a third recessed region, a fourth recessed region, a second barbed member, a second branch lateral dimension and a second branch transverse dimension, the third planar region being disposed opposite the fourth planar region on the second fitting branch along the second branch lateral dimension, the third recessed region being disposed opposite the fourth recessed region on the second fitting branch along the second branch transverse dimension,   wherein the first planar region and the third planar region jointly comprise a first curved concave edge and a second curved concave edge,   wherein, within the first fitting branch, the first curved concave edge is disposed opposite the second curved concave edge along the first branch transverse dimension such that the first planar region becomes increasingly narrow toward a center of the fitting across the first branch transverse dimension;   wherein, within the second fitting branch, the first curved concave edge is disposed opposite the second curved concave edge along the second branch transverse dimension such that the third planar region becomes increasingly narrow toward the center of the fitting across the second branch transverse dimension;   wherein the second planar region and the fourth planar region jointly comprise a third curved concave edge and a fourth curved concave edge,   wherein, within the first fitting branch, the third curved concave edge is disposed opposite the fourth curved concave edge along the first branch transverse dimension such that the second planar region becomes increasingly narrow toward the center of the fitting across the first branch transverse dimension;   wherein, within the second fitting branch, the third curved concave edge is disposed opposite the fourth curved concave edge along the second branch transverse dimension such that the fourth planar region becomes increasingly narrow toward the center of the fitting across the second branch transverse dimension,   wherein, within the first fitting branch, the first recessed region is disposed intermediate the first curved concave edge and the third curved concave edge along the first branch lateral dimension, and, within the second fitting branch, the third recessed region is disposed intermediate the first curved concave edge and the third curved concave edge along the second branch lateral dimension, and   wherein, within the first fitting branch, the second recessed region is disposed intermediate the second curved concave edge and the fourth curved concave edge along the first branch lateral dimension, and, within the second fitting branch, the fourth recessed region is disposed intermediate the second curved concave edge and the fourth curved concave edge along the second branch lateral dimension.   
     
     
         2 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first curved concave edge and the third curved concave edge taken together with the first recessed region and the third recessed region define a first part of an ergonomic interface, the first curved concave edge and the third curved concave edge being jointly aligned, within the first fitting branch, along the first branch transverse dimension and, within the second fitting branch, along the second branch transverse dimension;   wherein the second curved concave edge and the fourth curved concave edge taken together with the second recessed region and the fourth recessed region define a second part of an ergonomic interface, the second curved concave edge and the fourth curved concave edge being jointly aligned, within the first fitting branch, along the first branch transverse dimension and, within the second fitting branch, along the second branch transverse dimension, and   wherein the first part of the ergonomic interface is disposed opposite the second part of the ergonomic interface, within the first fitting branch, along the first branch transverse dimension and, within the second fitting branch, along the second branch transverse dimension.   
     
     
         3 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the first fitting branch and the second fitting branch define a linear fluid flow pathway. 
     
     
         4 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the first fitting branch and the second fitting branch define a non-linear fluid flow pathway. 
     
     
         5 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the first branch lateral dimension is generally perpendicular to the first branch transverse dimension. 
     
     
         6 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 4 , wherein the first branch lateral dimension and the first branch transverse dimension are both generally perpendicular to a portion of a fluid flow pathway through the first fitting branch. 
     
     
         7 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 5 , wherein the second branch lateral dimension is generally perpendicular to the second branch transverse dimension. 
     
     
         8 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 6 , wherein the second branch lateral dimension and the second branch transverse dimension are both generally perpendicular to a portion of a fluid flow pathway through the second fitting branch. 
     
     
         9 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first curved concave edge, the second curved concave edge, the third curved concave edge and the fourth curved concave edge comprises a discontinuous region. 
     
     
         10 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 1 , further comprising a third fitting branch comprising a fifth planar region, a sixth planar region, a fifth recessed region, a sixth recessed region, a third barbed member, a third branch lateral dimension and a third branch transverse dimension, the fifth planar region being disposed opposite the sixth planar region on the third fitting branch along the third branch lateral dimension, and the fifth recessed region being disposed opposite the sixth recessed region on the third fitting branch along the third branch transverse dimension,
 wherein the first planar region and the fifth planar region jointly comprise a fifth curved concave edge and a sixth curved concave edge, and   wherein the second planar region and the sixth planar region jointly comprise a seventh curved concave edge and an eighth curved concave edge.   
     
     
         11 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 10 , further comprising a fourth fitting branch comprising a seventh planar region, an eighth planar region, a seventh recessed region, an eighth recessed region, a fourth barbed member, a fourth branch lateral dimension and a fourth branch transverse dimension, the seventh planar region being disposed opposite the eighth planar region on the fourth fitting branch along the fourth branch lateral dimension, the seventh recessed region being disposed opposite the eighth recessed region on the fourth fitting branch along the fourth branch transverse dimension,
 wherein the first planar region and the seventh planar region jointly comprise a ninth curved concave edge and a tenth curved concave edge, and   wherein the second planar region and the eighth planar region jointly comprise an eleventh curved concave edge and a twelfth curved concave edge.   
     
     
         12 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 11 , wherein each of the fifth recessed region, the sixth recessed region, the seventh recessed region, and the eighth recessed region comprise a cylindrical protrusion. 
     
     
         13 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 12 , wherein each of the third barbed member and the fourth barbed member comprise at least two frustoconical protrusions. 
     
     
         14 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the fifth curved concave edge, the sixth curved concave edge, the tenth curved concave edge and the twelfth curved concave edge comprises a discontinuous region. 
     
     
         15 . An irrigation fitting comprising:
 a first fitting branch comprising a first planar region, a second planar region, a first recessed region, a second recessed region, a first barbed member, a first branch lateral dimension and a first branch transverse dimension, the first planar region being disposed opposite the second planar region on the first fitting branch along the first branch lateral dimension, and the first recessed region being disposed opposite the second recessed region on the first fitting branch along the first branch transverse dimension;   a second fitting branch comprising a third planar region, a fourth planar region, a third recessed region, a fourth recessed region, a second barbed member, a second branch lateral dimension and a second branch transverse dimension, the third planar region being disposed opposite the fourth planar region on the second fitting branch along the second branch lateral dimension, the third recessed region being disposed opposite the fourth recessed region on the second fitting branch along the second branch transverse dimension,   wherein the first planar region and the third planar region jointly comprise a first curved concave edge and a second curved concave edge,   wherein, within the first fitting branch, the first curved concave edge is disposed opposite the second curved concave edge along the first branch transverse dimension such that the first planar region becomes increasingly narrow toward a center of the fitting across the first branch transverse dimension;   wherein, within the second fitting branch, the first curved concave edge is disposed opposite the second curved concave edge along the second branch transverse dimension such that the third planar region becomes increasingly narrow toward the center of the fitting across the second branch transverse dimension;   wherein the second planar region and the fourth planar region jointly comprise a third curved concave edge and a fourth curved concave edge,   wherein, within the first fitting branch, the third curved concave edge is disposed opposite the fourth curved concave edge along the first branch transverse dimension such that the second planar region becomes increasingly narrow toward the center of the fitting across the first branch transverse dimension; and   wherein, within the second fitting branch, the third curved concave edge is disposed opposite the fourth curved concave edge along the second branch transverse dimension such that the fourth planar region becomes increasingly narrow toward the center of the fitting across the second branch transverse dimension.   
     
     
         16 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 15 , wherein, within the first fitting branch, the first recessed region is disposed intermediate the first curved concave edge and the third curved concave edge along the first branch lateral dimension, and, within the second fitting branch, the third recessed region is disposed intermediate the first curved concave edge and the third curved concave edge along the second branch lateral dimension, and
 wherein, within the first fitting branch, the second recessed region is disposed intermediate the second curved concave edge and the fourth curved concave edge along the first branch lateral dimension, and, within the second fitting branch, the fourth recessed region is disposed intermediate the second curved concave edge and the fourth curved concave edge along the second branch lateral dimension.   
     
     
         17 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 15 , wherein the first fitting branch and the second fitting branch define a non-linear fluid flow pathway. 
     
     
         18 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 15 , wherein the first branch lateral dimension is generally perpendicular to the first branch transverse dimension. 
     
     
         19 . The irrigation fitting of  claim 16 , wherein the first branch lateral dimension and the first branch transverse dimension are both generally perpendicular to a portion of a fluid flow pathway through the first fitting branch.